Of all the things third-degree rape defendant Michael Russell could have told Judge Stephen Herrick in court Wednesday, here are some of the words he chose: “Once I found out how old she was … ”

In other words, he confessed.

Russell, 37, eventually accepted a plea deal that will carry 4 years in state prison and 10 years post-release supervision. It was not before he displayed a clear lack of knowledge of the state’s rape laws – especially the part where a defendant’s knowledge of the victim’s age does not matter.

“I didn’t know she was underage,” he had told the judge, who needed to interrupt the proceeding and explain to Russell — still accused at that point — that he had just made admissions in open court.